Thomas Cup, or the World Badminton Championshps, is in it’s quarter final stages. Denmark start Favourite versus India. How have the Indians fared so far?

Telegraph reports:

But the Indian shuttlers have also showed much promise, reflected in the way they dispatched the New Zealanders despite missing top player Chetan Anand due to an injury.

National champion Anup Sridhar packed off world No. 33 John Moody while Nikhil Kanetkar, replacing Anand, rose to the occasion and brushed aside Craig Cooper’s challenge. Arvind Bhat was also impressive in his efforts.

The victory against New Zealand would serve as a big boost for India given the fact that they were playing without their top singles player in Anand and doubles specialist in Sanave Thomas, who pulled out of the tournament.

Malaysia take on South Korea in another quarter final. China was dominating defeating Germany and will now meet England. The Uber Cup is also going on, of course.

For more scores, see here.

Chinese woman footballer Sun Wen first made her debut appearance for the national team at the age of 17. She played 13 years for the China. During the period, she was part of the team which won the Olympic Silver medal in the 1996 Atlanta games, took part in 4 the inaugural four women’s FIFA World Cups, won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball for the 1999 World Cup (where China finished runners up) and shared the FIFA Player of the century award with American Michelle Akers.

What is Wen doing now? At 33, Wen is washing her own kits. China Youth Daily reported it initially and an English report on it can be found in Malaysian The Star:

Sun Wen and her teammates are accommodated in rooms no more than six square metres with dirty sheets on tiny beds, malfunctioning television sets and air-conditioning and a leaking toilet, according to a report in the China Youth Daily.

“I buy a plastic basin to do my laundry wherever I go,” the 33-year-old Sun Wen told the newspaper. “I’m afraid I’ll have to bring my own bedclothes next time.”

(more…)

Half the contingent of Sierra Leone has disappeared (ran away) from the Commonwealth Athletes Village in Melbourne. Reports Reuters:

Police and Australian immigration officials have been searching for 11 athletes from the war-ravaged African country who have gone missing from the village.

This is not a new phenomena as 20 athletes went missing after the Manchester Commonwealth games in 2002. Of course the war plagued athletes will find this as a window for better life. A risk much less compared to living in the war ravaged country. Sport isn’t as important when the problems are much larger. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) isn’t going to rule out Sierra Leone for future games. Political dimplomacy evident in sport and sport again proving that it is life magnified.

India is proving difficult to handle with the doping scandal. The answer CGF President Mike Fennell gave explaining the doping occurences is amusing though:

It’s a very large country, over a billion people, and perhaps there will be people who are perhaps not as knowledgeable about the drug situation and the doping situation, and there will be instances.

The closing ceremony of the games is to be held today with bollywood stars staging a performance. Also, Javed Akhtar will present a song for the Delhi Games. I haven’t witnessed an international sporting event in India bar the Cricket World Cup in 1996. So come Delhi 2010, it will be nice.

Update: A few of the athletes have spoken out. They say that they fear genital mutation and death if they go back.

A darts boom is being witnessed in Holland. Asks the article:

As for Klaasen, could he become the David Beckham of darts? If he can steer clear of pork scratchings and lager - and maybe shack up with one of the Tarts for Darts - he’ll be well on his way.